Developing apparatus



July Z5, 1967 W. WILLIAMS DEVELOPING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 23, 1964 I N VEN TOR. M J//l/f MMM/W5 ATTORNEYS ISY July 25, 1967 W, W}| |AMS 3,332,333

DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N VEN TOR.

A TTOR NE YS July 25, 1967 w. WILLIAMS DEVELOPING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 23, 1964 INVENTOR. MVA/f M4 /4/1//15 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,332,333 DEVELOPING APPARATUS Wayne Williams, 590 Binder St., Aurora, Ill. Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 406,019 6 Claims. (Cl. 95-93) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention generally relates to an apparatus and a method for developing photographic film and more particularly relates to an apparatus for holding film during the development of the film and the method of developing the film.

Developing apparatus has generally been associated with either amateur developing apparatus of a one-roll reel tank type or of the commercial type which utilizes extremely large multiple roll tanks to develop a large number of photographic film rolls. The commercial developing apparatus is extremely expensive and bulky, where it is desired to develop only a relatively small number of film rolls and sheets of film and the one-roll amateur developing apparatus is inadequate. Also, prior developing apparatus lacked effective means for providing proper contact between the film surfaces and the developer solution and also lacked effective means for constantly supplying fresh washing solution with the use of relatively compact equipment.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for developing film and a method of developing film which substantially eliminates the above problems.

f It is another object of the present invention to provide a developing apparatus which may be used to simultaneously develop more than one roll or sheet of film but not the large number of film rolls developed by commercial-type developing apparatus.

It is still another object of 4the present invention to provide a developing apparatus for developing 1 to 6 rolls of film or one to 16 sheets of film in a single developing process run.

' It is still another object of the present invention to provide a film hanger assembly which is utilized in the various steps of the developing process of the film and said film hanging assembly having means thereon for longitudinally holding more than one roll of film thereon.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a sheet holding assembly having a compartment for holding a curved sheet of film with only the edges of the film being in contact with any of the compartment inner surfaces,

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a film hanger assembly having a central tubular feed means for feeding fluid from the top of the hanger assembly to the bottom thereof and means to longitudinally hold the film thereon.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a process for developing lm wherein the film is agitated while submerged in Ithe developer solution by use of a longitudinally holding film hanger assembly.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method of developing photographic lilm wherein the developer solution for the film is agitated by supplying fiuid to the developer solution.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a process for developing film which provides ,I CC

greater contact between the film surfaces and the developer solution and provides thorough washing of the developed film surface.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after consideration of the following description and accompanying sheets of drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like and corresponding parts.

FIG. l is a top View of a film hanger assembly confstructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view with parts in elevation taken along line II-II of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustrating one step in the process of developing film in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is another schematic illustrating a step in the process of developing film;

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustrating a step in the process of developing film;

FIG. 7 is Ianother schematic illustrating still another step in Ithe process of developing film;

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustrating another embodiment in the process of developing film;

FIG. 9 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view with parts in elevation illustrating another film hanger and sheet film holder constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG. 9; and

FIG. ll is a partial transverse cross-sectional view with parts in elevation taken along line XI-XI lof FIG. 10.

Referring to FIGS. l to 3, -there is illustrated a cylindrical tank 11 having an open end 12 and having inserted thereinV a film hanger 13. The tank 12 may be utilized to hold various types of so-lutions used in the process or method of developing film.

The film hanger assembly 13 is adapted to longitudinally hang a plurality of-unwound film rolls 14. The hanger assembly has a central tubular shaft ork column 15 defining an internal cylindrical passage 16 extending from the open top end 17 thereof to an open bottom. A plurality -of outlet slots 19 communicate with the internal fluid passage 16 and extend axially from the open bottom for a predetermined distance. The outlet slots or openings 19 are used to deliver fluid to tank 11 from a fluid supply means connected to shaft end 17.

A rectangular support block 20 is attached to the shaft 15 adjacent the upper portion thereof with the shaft 15 centrally passing therethrough. The block 20 extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. A pair of top film support rods 21 and 22 pass through the block 20 adjacent the respective ends thereof and are both centrally attached to the block. The top rods extend substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 1S and substantially perpendicular to the axis of the block 20. The rods 21 and 22 extend parallel to each other on opposite 4sides of the shaft 15 and are spaced a predetermined distance above the bottom end 18 of the shaft 15. The rods 21 and 22 have respective ends 23 and 24 that are contoured such that they will contact an internal surface 25 of the tank 11 and perform the functions of centering the hanger 13 in the tank 11 and supporting one end of the film 14.

A plurality of coil springs 26 and 27 have one of their ends 29 connected respectively to the rods 21 and 22 with the aid of rod passages 28 formed through the rods 21 and 22. The other ends 31 and 32 of the springs 26 and 27 are attached to film clips 30 such that each film clip 30 hangs between the rods 21 and 22. The film clip 30 is a well known type of film clip having a film grasping end 33 which is ordinarily resiliently held in an open position and is adapted to be locked into the closed position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, by a central lock means 34. The clip also has a hook 35 extending from an end opposite the grasping end 33.

A lower film support rod means 36 passes through the shaft adjacent the bottom portion thereof and the rod is centrally attached thereto. The lower rod is spaced above the longitudinal openings 19 and is spaced a predeter-mined distance from the top rods 21 and 22. The lower rod extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft and substantially perpendicular to the axis of the block 20. The lower rod 36 preferably has a length less than the internal diameter of the tank 11. Although the lower rod 36 has been described as passing through the shaft 15 it is of course understood that the lower rod may be attached to the outer surfaces of the shaft 15 such that it extends radially from opposite ends thereof.

A plurality of triangular-type hooks 37 are connected pivotally at their apex end to the rod 36 and have their base end 38 extending transversely to the axis of the rod 36. The hooks 37 are substantially aligned with the top film clips 30.

The top rods 21 and 22 are spaced a predetermined distance from the lower rod 36 such that the roll of fil-m l14 may be clipped at oneend thereof to a top film clip 3f) and at the bottom end thereof to a bottom film clip 30a and having the film extending substantially longitudinally therebetween. A number of film rolls 14 may be thus attached between the top and bottom rods with the bottom clip 30a being attached by its hook end 35a to the base 38 of the triangular hooks 37, as is illustrated in FIG. 2.

Of course it is understood, that when utilizing a roll of film which has a length greater than that between the top and bottom film clips 30 and 30a, adapters may be utilized to adjust the film hanger to the various lengths. For example, a roll of film having substantially double the length of the roll of film ordinarily used in the film hanger as illustrated in FIG. 2 is attached to the film hanger illustrated by first attaching a film guide to the triangular hooks 37 and then looping the film through the film guide and attaching both ends of the film to the same or to adjacent top film clips 30.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7, a plurality of film rolls 14 are processed by utilizing a plurality of cylindrical tanks 39, 4t), 41 and 42. The tank 39 contains a developer solution, the tank 40 contains a setting solution that checks the action of the developer, the tank 41 contains a fixing solution, and the tank 42 contains water to wash the developed film. The hanger assembly 13 with the film rolls 14 thereon is placed into the tank 39. By agitating the developer solution in the tank 39 the developer contact between the solution and the film surfaces is properly balanced so that the developer may effectively react with the exposed portions of the film surfaces. The developer solution is agitated by bubbling pressurized inert gas through the developer solution. An inert gas supply 43 is suitably connected to the tubular shaft open end 17 to direct the inert gas centrally through the developer solution and out the tubular shaft outlets 19 such that the inert gas is bubbled upwardly through the developer solution to agitate the developing solution.

After the film has remained in the developer for a sufficient amount of time, the hanger assembly is disconnected from the inert gas supply 43 and inserted into the tank 40 where the setting solution checks or stops the reaction of the developer on the film. The hanger assem` bly remains in the tank 40 for only a short period of time before it is transferred to the tank 41 wherein fixing or hypo solution dissolves the reacted or converted portions of the film to form images thereon. The hanger assembly remains in the tank 41 for appropriate amount of time and is then transferred to the tank 42 to wash the developed film. The tank 42 has an upper overflow outlet 44. Water is fed to the tank 42 through the shaft 15 and out the outlets 19 such that water is introduced at the bottom of the `wash tanks and forced upward through the lm to emerge at the overflow outlet `44. In this manner, fresh water is evenly distributed around each roll of film as the water rises in the tank to thereby give a thorough washing action to every roll of film in the tank and also eliminate the necessity of having a plurality of washing tanks.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the developer solution in tank 39 may be agitated by recirculating developer solution from the bottom of the tank 39 to the top of the tank 39 or vice versa if desired by introducing developer solution to the bottom of the developer tank 39 through the tubular shaft 15 and exiting the solution from the outlet 45 positioned adja-cent the top of tank 39 and recirculating the exiting solution to the tank 39 by use of a recirculating pump 46 having its inlet end connected to the outlet 45 and its outlet end connected to the top end of the shaft 15.

The tank size normally used to develop 6 rolls of normal length 12.0 or 620 film holds two gallons of fluid and has a relatively small diameter which is illustrated in approximately its actual size in FIG. l. The relatively small size of the tanks provide a relatively inexpensive assembly for developing a plurality of film rolls.

The lm hanger assembly must be manufactured from materials which will not react with the solution within the various tanks 39, 46, 41 and 42 and are therefore preferably constructed from nonreactive plastics and stainless steel.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 11, a sheet film holder assembly 47 is constructed to hold a plurality of film sheet holders 48. The hanger assembly 47 Ihas a central tu-bular shaft 49, of a similar construction to the tubular shaft 15, with an open top end 50 and -an open bottom end 551 having a plurality of `axially extending outlets communicating with a shaft internal fiuid passage 53. A top rod 54 is centrally connected adjacent t-he top end of the shaft 49 and extends substantially perpendicularly to and has its ends 55 shaped to movably engage the inner surface 56 of'a tank 57. Likewise, a lower rod 58 is centrally attached adjacent the bottom end of the shaft 49 and extends substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis 'and parallel to the top rod 54. The lower rod has a length Yslightly less than the diameter of the tank 57 and the top and lower rods 54 and 58 are spaced a predetermined distance apart to accommodate the sheet film holders 48.

v The sheet film holders 48 have an open top wall 59, a pair of open side walls 63 and an open bottom wall 65. The open top wall defines a plurality of rectangular mouths 60. The top wall sides are formed by a pair of spaced parallel rod or wire members 61 adapted to extend longitudinally between the top and bottom rods 54 and 58. The longitudinally extending top wall sides 61 are interconnected by a plurality of transversely extending cross members 62 which define the plurality of rectangular open mouths 60. The open side walls 63 diverge from the top wall sides 61 and interconnects at their other end -by an open bottom wall 65. The open side walls are formed by at least two rods or wires 64 Idiverging from the top wall sides 61 within each mouth 60 between adjacent cross members 62 and the open bottom wall 65 is formed by wires or rods 66 interconnecting the ends of side walls 63. In fact, as illustrated, the diverging side and respective 'base rods may be integral to form frusto-triangular wire members that when connected to the rods 61 form a sheet film compartment 67. Ordinarily, the holders 48 each have eight film compartments 67 to hold eight separate sheets of film 71.

An attachment means for the holder 48 is formed by a pair of longitudinal extending rods 68 are attached to the outer surfaces of the base rods 66 and have turned hook ends 69 and 70. The hook ends 69 and 70 and the length of the rods 68 are predetermined such that the rods may be hung onto the upper and lower hanger assembly support rods 54 and 58, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 11. The hooks 69 and 68 are arranged such that one holder 48 may be attached on each side of the yshaft 49 as is illustrated. The compartments 67 and the diverging construction of the side walls 63 are such that when the sheet of film 71 is curved and placed into the compartment 67 with the side edges thereof in engagement with the support corners 72 formed fby the juncture lbet-Ween the side rods 64 and the base rodsA 66 and with the end edges of the film adjacent the cross members 62, the film surfaces 73 and 74 are spaced from the inner surfaces of the compartment. Thus, there is provided a sheet film compartment that holds the curved sheet of film therein with substantially only the edges of the lm sheet being in contact with the inner surfaces of each compartment to provide an open holder for sheets of film that leave the surfaces of the film free for complete contact with solutions used to process the film. The curved form of the film sheets in the holder produces a spring action in the film which tends to hold the film in position in the compartments 67.. The unique construction of the film holder allows free access between film processing solutions and the surfaces of the film sheets to thus provide even and uniform development of the film sheets.

It is of course understood that the open construction of the film holder may `be provided by other than wires or rods as illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 1l.

The film hanger assembly 47 allows the sheet of film 71 to be developed similarly to the rolls of film 14, as described above in conjunction with FIGS. 4 through 8.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those skilled in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A roll film hanger assembly to longitudinally hang at least one roll of film for developing the roll of film comprising in combination:

a tubular shaft having an internal passage and a plurality of openings in the si-de of said shaft communicating with said internal passage;

a top pair of spaced parallel rods connected on opposite sides of the shaft axis, and said top rods extending at substantially right angles to the axis of said shaft to `form a top open wall for said hanger assembly shaft;

at least one film clip having a film grasping end for gripping one end of the roll of film;

a pair of spaced springs having one end attached to each film clip at an end opposite to said film grasping end and the other end of said springs being attached to said top rods with said film clip having one spring attached to each top rod;

a lower rod connected to said shaft adjacent said shaft bottom end, said lower rod extending substantially perpendicular to said shaft axis;

means connected to said lower rod to hold said roll of film whereby said roll of film is vertically held between said top and lower rods.

2. A roll film hanger assembly to longitudinally hang at least one roll of film for developing the roll of film comprising in combination:

a tubular shaft having an internal passage and a plurality of openings in the side of said shaft communicating with said internal passage;

a top pair of spaced parallel rods centrally connected on opposite sides of the shaft and said top rods extending at substantially right angles to the axis of said shaft, said top rods having a length substantially equal to the diameter of a developing tank to form a top open wall for said hanger assembly, and the ends of said top rods being shaped to allow rotation of said top rods in the tank;

at least one lm clip having a film grasping end for gripping one end of the roll of film;

spring means having one end attached to said film clip at an end opposite to said clip grasping end and the other end of said spring being attached to said top rods;

a lower rod centrally connected to said shaft adjacent said shaft bottom end, said lower rod extending substantially perpendicular to said shaft axis, and said rod having la length slightly less than the diameter of a developing tank;

means connected to said lower film whereby said roll of film is vertically held between said top and lower rods.

3. A roll film hanger assembly to longitudinally hang at least one roll of film for developing the roll of film comprising in combination:

a tubular shaft having an internal passage and a plurality of openings in the side of said shaft communicating with said intern-al passage;

a rectangular support block centrally connected to said shaft adjacent said top end and extending at substantially a right angle to said shaft;

-a top pair of spaced parallel rods centrally connected to said support block on opposite sides of the shaft axis; and

said top rods extending at substantially right angles to the axis of said shaft and the axis of said block;

at least one rectangular film clip having a film grasping end;

a pair of spaced springs having one end attached to each film clip -at an end opposite to said film grasping end and the other end of said springs being attached to said top rods with said film clip having one spring attached to each top rod;

a lower rod centrally connected to said shaft adjacent said shaft bottom end; and

said lower rod extending substantially perpendicular to said shaft axis and to said block axis;

at least one straight end hook pivotally attached to said lower rod to hold the roll of film whereby the roll of film is vertically held between said top and lower rods.

4. A film hanger assembly for developing at least two rolls of film comprising:

a plastic central tubular shaft having an open inlet top end and a bottom end with a plurality of axially extending slots providing a plurality of outlets;

a plastic rectangular support block centrally connected to said shaft adjacent said top end and extending at substantially a right angle to said shaft;

a top pair of spaced parallel plastic rods centrally connected to said support block on opposite sides of the shaft axis and said top rods extending at substantially right angles to the axis of said shaft and the axis of said block, said top rods having a length substantially equal to the diameter of a developing tank, and the ends of said top rods being shaped to allow rotation of said top rods in the tank;

at least two rectangular film clips each having a film grasping end;

a pair of spaced coil springs having one end attached to each film clip at an end opposite to said film grasping end and the other end of said coil springs being attached to said top rods with each film clip having one spring attached to each top rod;

a lower plastic rod centrally connected to said shaft -adjacent said shaft bottom end and above the closed ends of said slots, said lower rod extending substantially perpendicular to said shaft axis and to said block axis, and said rod having a length slightly less than the diameter of a developing tank;

rod to hold said roll of at least two straight end hooks pivotally attached to said lower rod, said hooks being adapted to hold one end of a lm clip therein whereby at least two rolls ofplm may -be vertically held between said top and lower rods and spaced a predetermined distance apart.

5. An open wire sheet film hanger comprising:

an open top wall having two longitudinally extending side wires spaced a predetermined distance apart;

a plurality of transversely extending cross wires interconnecting said side Wires, and said cross wires being spaced a predetermined distance to form a plurality of openings;

at least two spaced Wires diverging from each of said side wires between each pair of cross wires;

an open base spaced a predetermined distance from said side wires interconnecting said side Wires to provide a plurality of lilm compartments being of a predetermined size such that each compartment holds a curved lm sheet therein with substantially only the end edges of said lilm sheet 'being in contact with the inner surfaces of said compartments.

6. An open wire sheet lm hanger comprising:

an open rectangular top wall having two longitudinally extending parallel side wires spaced a predetermined distance apart and interconnected at the ends thereof by a pair of transversely extending parallel end wires;

at least one transversely extending intermediate wire interconecting said side wires and spaced a predetermined distance from and extending parallel to said end wiresto define a plurality of open rectangular compartment mouths;

at least two frusto-triangular wires attached to said side wires within each of said compartment mouths to provide a plurality of open iilm compartments;

said truste-triangular- Wires having its base spaced a predetermined distance from said wires and extending transversely thereto and having its rusto-triangular side converging from said base to said mouths wire sides to provide a plurality of ilm support corners;

saidlm compartments being of a predetermined size such that each compartment holds a curved ilm sheet therein with substantially only the end edges of said sheet in contact with the inner surfaces of each compartment; and

attachment means mounted on each end of the sheet hanger to provide means for hanging the sheet hanger onto a suitable holder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,255,037 9/ 1941 Giese 95-90.5 XR 2,422,307 6/ 1947 Mako et al. 95--100 2,484,341 10/1949 Grover 95--100 2,590,70'5 3/1952 Hurlbut 95-100 2,837,988 6-/l958 Pavelle 95-89 2,902,914 9/1959 Dye et al. 95-97 NORTON ANSI-IER, Primary Examiner.

FRED L. BRAUN, Assistant Examiner, 

1. A ROOL FILM HANGER ASSEMBLY TO LONGITUDINALLY HANG AT LEAST ONE ROLL OF FILM FOR DEVELOPING THE ROLL OF FILM COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A TUBULAR SHAFT HAVING AN INTERNAL PASSAGE AND A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS IN THE SIDE OF SAID SHAFT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INTERNAL PASSAGE; A TOP PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL RODS CONNECTED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SHAFT AXIS, AND SAID TOP RODS EXTENDING AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES TO THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT TO FORM A TOP OPEN WALL FOR SAID HANGER ASSEMBLY SHAFT; AT LEAST ONE FILM CLIP HAVING A FILM GRASPING END FOR GRIPPING ONE END OF THE ROLL OF FILM; A PAIR OF SPACED SPRINGS HAVING ONE END ATTACHED TO EACH FILM CLIP AT AN END OPPOSITE TO SAID FILM GRASPING END AND THE OTHER END OF SAID SPRINGS BEING ATTACHED TO SAID TOP RODS WITH SAID FILM CLIP HAVING ONE SPRING ATTACHED TO EACH TOP ROD; A LOWER ROD CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT ADJACENT SAID SHAFT BOTTOM END, SAID LOWER ROD EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SHAFT AXIS; MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LOWER ROD TO HOLD SAID ROLL OF FILM WHEREBY SAID ROLL OF FILM IS VERTICALLY HELD BETWEEN SAID TOP AND LOWER RODS. 